County officials give nod to new framework for water-conservation measures

Tuesday

Jul 22, 2014 at 4:00 PM

STOCKTON — San Joaquin County officials gave the nod to a new framework for mandatory water-conservation measures to tighten up outdoor water use as California continues to weather a third year of drought and state rules push for more enforcement to prevent wasting water.

The Record

STOCKTON — San Joaquin County officials gave the nod to a new framework for mandatory water-conservation measures to tighten up outdoor water use as California continues to weather a third year of drought and state rules push for more enforcement to prevent wasting water.

The county Board of Supervisors voted today move a new ordinance forward to create tiers of escalating water restrictions that the board can put in place during a water emergency.

The ordinance won’t go into effect until it goes before the board for another vote on Aug. 12, but county staff plans to recommend entering the first emergency tier which would limit outdoor irrigation to three days a week and requiring people to use buckets when washing their cars, among other restriction ​s​. The rules would apply ​only ​to special districts overseen by county government, the largest would be in Lincoln Village, an unincorporated pocket in Stockton with 1,777 households and other facilities connecting to the water system.

It’s a small part of cities and other providers that make up the countywide system, but county officials said they would like to see water-conservation efforts ramp up elsewhere in the county, too.

​"​That’s the ​'​Achilles’ heel” of this whole thing,"​ Supervisor Larry Ruhstaller said. “How do we get some kind of county-wide buy-in on this. How do we actually make a difference?”

Read Wednesday’s Record for more on this story by staff writer Zachary K. Johnson.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.